Sealing unit for sealing opening with smooth inner periphery

ABSTRACT

A sealing unit for sealing a jar includes an inner cap having a flange and an outer groove is defined in the outer periphery of the flange. A resilient ring has a bent portion which is engaged with the outer groove. An outer cap has an annular recess in the underside thereof and the flange of the inner cap is engaged with the annular recess. The outer cap has an inner groove defined in the inner wall thereof and the resilient ring is engaged with the inner groove. A linking member extends through the outer cap and is connected to the inner cap. A lever is pivotably connected to the linking member so as to drive the linking member which moves the inner cap upward to squeeze the resilient ring to be deformed so as to seal the smooth inner periphery of the opening of the jar.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sealing unit, and more particularly, to a sealing unit suitable for sealing opening with smooth inner periphery. The sealing unit does not use locking members.

2. Background of the Invention

The conventional sealing unit for jars or containers generally includes a cap with a sealing ring mounted to its outer periphery thereof. When the sealing unit is engaged with the opening of the jar, the locking members located on the periphery of the sealing unit securely connected to the locking blocks on the opening of the jar by the locking members thereof so as to seal the opening. However, the use of the locking members and the locking blocks makes the sealing unit have less competition in the market and at least one of the locking members has to be operated when opening or sealing, and this means an extra process should be taken.

EP2174882 discloses a Vacuum sealing cap which has an inner cap, a sealing ring mounted to the inner cap and an outer cap which has tapered bottom. When the outer cap is connected to the inner cap, due to the sealing ring extending inclinedly and outward, the sealing ring is squeezed outward by the tapered bottom of the outer cap so as to seal the opening. There is an axial gap when the outer cap is engaged with the jar, so that the sealing does not completely seal the jar.

The Vacuum sealing cap further has a resilient member which drives the link to move the inner cap and the sealing ring downward relative to the outer cap, such that the sealing ring is disengaged from the top flange so that the sealing cap is opened. The user can easily remove the sealing cap by one hand. The resilient member is a critical part in the invention, otherwise, because the sealing ring extends inclinedly and outward and is in contact with the jar, the user has to hold the jar by one hand and then remove the sealing cap upward from the jar by the other hand.

The present invention intends to provide a sealing unit which does not need the locking members and locking blocks, and the sealing unit seals the opening of the jar air-tightly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sealing unit and comprises an inner cap having a flange and an outer groove is defined in the outer periphery of the flange. A resilient ring having a bent portion is engaged with the outer groove. An outer cap has an annular recess defined in the underside thereof and the flange of the inner cap is engaged with the annular recess which has room so that the flange is movable within the room. The outer cap has an inner groove defined in the inner wall thereof and the resilient ring is engaged with the inner groove. A through hole is defined through the center of the top of the outer cap. A linking member extends through the through hole of the outer cap and is connected with a connection portion of the inner cap so as to move the inner cap up and down relative to the outer cap. A lever is pivotably connected to the linking member and drives the linking member to move the inner cap upward. The resilient ring is engaged between the inner groove of the outer cap and the inner cap, and is deformed toward the inner periphery of the jar.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a sealing unit for sealing the opening of a jar and the sealing unit does not need extra locking members and locking blocks. The sealing is air tight and the manufacturing cost is reduced because no extra locking members and locking blocks are needed. Compared with the conventional vacuum sealing cap which has an axial gap between the outer cap and the jar, there will be no gap for the sealing unit of the present invention. The air path between the outer cap and the jar is completely sealed by the deformed resilient ring of the present invention.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view to show the sealing unit of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another exploded view to show the sealing unit of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view to show that the lever of the sealing unit of the present invention is located at the unsealed position;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view to show that the lever of the sealing unit of the present invention is located at the sealed position, and

FIG. 5 shows another cross sectional view to show that the lever of the sealing unit of the present invention is located at the sealed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the sealing unit for sealing the opening with smooth inner periphery of a jar 6 of the present invention comprises an inner cap 1 having a flange 11 extending from the top thereof and an outer groove 12 is defined in the outer periphery of the flange 11. A connection portion 13 is located at the center of the top of the inner cap 1. The flange 11 has a protrusion 111 located corresponding to the outer groove 12.

A resilient ring 2 has a bent portion 21 extending radially from the underside thereof and the bent portion 21 is engaged with the outer groove 12. In other words, the resilient ring 2 has an L-shaped cross section.

An outer cap 3 has a positioning portion 34 located at the underside thereof and the connection portion 13 is engaged with the positioning portion 34. An annular recess 31 is defined in the underside of the outer cap 3 and the flange 11 of the inner cap 1 is engaged with the annular recess 31 which has room so that the flange 11 is movable within the room. The outer cap 3 has an inner groove 32 defined in the inner wall thereof and the resilient ring 2 is engaged with the inner groove 32. A through hole 33 is defined through the center of the top of the outer cap 3.

A linking member 4 extends through the through hole 33 of the outer cap 3 and is connected with the connection portion 13 of the inner cap 1 so as to move the inner cap 1 up and down relative to the outer cap 3.

A lever 5 is pivotably connected to the linking member 4 so as to drive the linking member 4 to move the inner cap 1 upward. The resilient ring 2 is deformed by the inner groove 32 of the outer cap 3 and the inner cap 1, and the resilient ring 2 is deformed toward the inner periphery of the jar 6. The distance between the pivot 51 of the lever 5 to the underside of the lever 5 is less than the distance between the pivot 51 to the left side or the right side. Accordingly, when the underside of the pivot 51 contacts the top of the outer cap 3, the jar 6 is opened. When the left side or the right side of the pivot 51 contacts the top of the outer cap 3, the linking member 4 is moved upward so that the inner cap 1 and the outer cap 3 are moved upward. The inner groove 32 of the outer cap 3 and the inner cap 1 squeeze the resilient ring 2 which is deformed and the central portion is raised and the jar 6 is sealed.

Furthermore, the outer cap 3 has at least one boss 35 located at the top of the outer cap 3 and at the contact area where the lever 5 is in contact with so that the lever 5 positioned. In this embodiment, there are two bosses 35 on two sides of the through hole 33 of the outer cap 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, food is preserved in the jar 6 and the jar 6 has an opening with smooth inner periphery. The sealing unit is located above the opening and the underside of the lever 5 contacts the top of the outer cap 3. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when pivoting the lever 5 to let the left side of right side of the lever 5 contact the top of the outer cap 3, because the distance between the pivot 51 of the lever 5 to the underside of the lever 5 is less than the distance between the pivot 51 to the left side or the right side, the linking member 4 is moved upward by the lever 5 and the inner cap 1 and the outer cap 3 are moved upward. This makes the inner groove 32 of the outer cap 3 and the inner cap 1 squeeze the resilient ring 2 located in the outer groove 12. The flange 11 has the protrusion 111 which is located corresponding to the outer groove 12, so that resilient ring 2 is deformed toward the inner periphery of the opening of the jar 6, and the central portion of the resilient ring 2 is raised. The air path between the outer cap 3 and the jar 6 is completely sealed by the resilient ring 2, the jar 6 is sealed completely.

When the user wants to unseal the jar 6, as shown in FIG. 3, the lever 5 is pivoted to let the underside of the lever 5 contacts the top of the outer cap 3. There are two bosses 35 on two sides of the through hole 33 of the outer cap 3, so that when the lever 5 is pivoted to let the left side of right side thereof contact the top of the outer cap 3, there is a gap 7 formed between the lever 5 and the top of the outer cap 3 due to the contact between the left side of right side of the lever 5 and the boss 35. The gap 7 allows the user to easily pivot the lever 5. When the underside of the lever 5 contacts the top of the outer cap 3, the inner cap 1 moves downward relative to the outer cap 3, so that the resilient ring 2 bounces back to its initial shape, the air path is formed between the jar 6 and the outer cap 3, the jar 6 is unsealed.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the linking member 4 has two latches 41 protruding from two sides thereof and the connection portion 13 of the inner cap 1 has two slots 131 with which the latches 41 are engaged so that the linking member 4 is connected to the inner cap 1.

The resilient ring 2 of present invention is deformed by the inner groove 32 of the outer cap 3 and the inner cap 1 so that the air path between the jar 6 and the outer cap 3 is completely sealed by the deformed resilient ring 2, while compared with the conventional sealing cap, there is an axial gap formed between the jar and the outer cap. The present invention provides a larger contact area between the jar 6 and the resilient ring 2 to provide better sealing feature.

The sealing unit of the present invention does not need extra locking members and locking blocks and is able provide better sealing feature. The manufacturing time and cost are reduced.

The opening of the cooperated jar 6 has smooth inner periphery which is easily formed and does not need secondary machining. The cost is low and the price is competitive.

When unsealing the jar 6 by pivoting the lever 5, the resilient ring 2 bounces back to its initial shape and the bouncing force moves the inner cap 1 downward to unseal the jar 6. The user can unseal the jar 6 by one hand only.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A sealing unit for a jar comprising: an inner cap having a flange extending from a top thereof and having a protrusion extending radially therefrom, an outer groove defined in an outer periphery of the flange beneath the protrusion; a resilient ring having a bent portion extending radially from an underside thereof and the bent portion engaged with the outer groove, the resilient ring having an L-shaped cross section; an outer cap having an annular recess defined in an underside thereof and the flange of the inner cap engaged with the annular recess which has room so that the flange is movable within the room, the outer cap having an inner groove defined in an inner wall thereof and the resilient ring engaged with the inner groove, a through hole defined through a center of a top of the outer cap; a linking member extending through the through hole of the outer cap and connected with a connection portion of the inner cap so as to move the inner cap up and down relative to the outer cap, and a lever pivotably connected to the linking member and the linking member being driven by the lever to move the inner cap upward, the resilient ring engaged between the inner groove of the outer cap and the inner cap and being adapted to be deformed toward an inner periphery of the jar.
 2. The sealing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection portion protrudes from the top of the inner cap and the outer cap has a positioning portion located at an underside thereof, the connection portion is engaged with the positioning portion.
 3. The sealing unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the linking member has two latches protruding from two sides thereof and the connection portion of the inner cap has two slots with which the latches are engaged.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The sealing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer cap has at least one boss protruding therefrom for positioning engagement with the lever. 